Dr. Vandana Das death: Kerala High Court denies bail to accused; also refuses to order CBI probe

The Kerala High Court on Tuesday rejected a bail plea by one, Sandeep, who has been accused of murdering Dr. Vandana Das, a 23-year-old house surgeon who was stabbed to death while she was medically examining the accused (Sandeep) after he was brought to the hospital by the police [Sandeep v State of Kerala & Anr.]..The High Court today also rejected a plea by Dr. Das' parents to transfer the murder investigation from the Kerala Police to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) [KG Mohandas & Ors. v Central Bureau of Investigation & Ors.]..Das' parents had raised concerns that there were lapses on the part of the State police in their probe into the murder case. The police officials who escorted the accused for the medical examination, and in whose presence Dr. Das died, were also accused of not acting promptly to save the young doctor from the attack that led to her death. In the background, the parents had submitted that the police were investigating the case in a lackadaisical manner to shield these police officers. As such, they had urged the Court to transfer the case to the CBI.However, Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas today refrained from ordering a CBI probe. While doing so, the judge observed that the police officials present when Dr. Das died have not been accused of having any criminal intent.Justice Thomas further took note that disciplinary proceedings were ongoing against these police officials for allegedly omitting to act promptly to save the doctor's life. .In the early hours of May 10, 2023, Dr. Das was stabbed to death by a school teacher named Sandeep who had been brought to the hospital for medical examination by the police after he was injured in a brawl..After the Kerala police began its investigation into the case, a plea was moved by the doctor's parents alleging that the police officers were investigating the case in a very lackadaisical and apathetic manner so that they could wash their hands of any responsibility and hide their own security lapses.“It looks like the police are acting in the influence and coercion of some higher persons of whom the petitioners have no knowledge,” the parents had added in their plea. Therefore, the parents had urged the High Court to order the transfer of the investigation into their daughter's death to the CBI.“The petitioners fear that justice would not be served and an unfair investigation would be conducted especially in the light that the police themselves were catalysts to the heinous crime that occurred,” the plea had said..Meanwhile, the man accused of murdering the doctor (Sandeep) filed a plea seeking his release on bail. He claimed that he was innocent and that he was arrested merely based on suspicions by the police. The bail plea also stated that Sandeep was of unsound mind and under the influence of sedatives when the incident occurred. As such, he submitted that he had no intention to cause the death of Dr. Das while contesting the murder charge filed against him. Moreover, Sandeep had also alleged that the investigating officers have been leaking information regarding the investigation to the media for publicity.Sandeep added that it was unnecessary to keep him detained in custody..Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas rejected both petitions today, that is, Sandeep's bail plea as well as the plea for a CBI probe into the case. .Advocates BA Aloor, KP Prasanth, Archana Suresh, Haritha Hariharan and Ailin Elezabath Mathew appeared for Sandeep.